COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER WITH DISPENSING VALVE, ESPECIALLY FOR BEER

Abstract: A soft-walled plastics bottle (B) for beer, or another carbonated beverage, is fitted at its neck with a flow-controlling device comprising a non-return valve which prevents the beverage being dispensed except under pressure exerted by squeezing the bottle. The valve, which comprises a displaceable body (108) which is urged into engagement with a seating (130) by a spring (106), serves to prevent air entering the container and also provides for the beverage to be forced under pressure through an orifice into an expansion chamber (170) before being dispensed. In the case of beer, such treatment of the beer can result in a desirable de-carbonation and the formation of a good head on the beer.

Description: Collapsible container with dispensing valve, especially for beer. The present invention relates to apparatus for dispensing beverages, particularly, but not exclusively, for dispensing beer from bottles. It is becoming increasingly common for beer to be sold, particularly, but not exclusively, for domestic consumption, in bottles formed from flexible plastics material, known in the trade as PET bottles. Typically, these soft-walled bottles contain between 1 and 3.5 litres of beer. Beer sold in such bottles may have a more satisfactory flavour than beer sold in cans since sterilisation of these bottles can be carried out before they are filled so avoiding the heat sterilisation which filled cans must undergo and the deterioration of the flavour of the beer which can occur during such sterilisation. A disadvantage with beer sold in PET bottles arises because it is typically sold in such quantity that the purchaser of the beer may wish to consume it over a period of, say two to four days. However, over this time the beer in the bottle commonly deteriorates through contact with air which has entered the bottle while beer is being poured from it. The beer will also go flat as the gas dissolved in it disperses. The result of this is that following opening of the bottle the beer deteriorates relatively rapidly, being of a very poor standard after, typically, forty-eight hours. Furthermore, the loss of dissolved gas means that as time elapses following the opening of the bottle, the head produced when the beer is poured deteriorates in quality. It is an aim of the present invention to provide apparatus which can overcome or at least ameliorate these problems. -From a first of its aspects the invention provides a collapsible beverage container in which flow-controlling means comprising a non-return valve operative at a dispensing outlet from the container is arranged to permit beverage to be dispensed effectively only by squeezing the container to increase the pressure within the container. Preferably, the valve prevents ingress of air through the outlet under both dispensing and non-dispensing conditions. The beverage may thereby be dispensed in a controlled manner, while the non-return valve prevents the flow of air into the bottle during and following dispensing of the beverage. The apparatus may further comprise closure means selectively operative to resist flow of beverage and other fluids into and out of the bottle. The apparatus may be a unit having means for attachment to a bottle. This arrangement allows the apparatus to be used on a bottle supplied to a consumer with a conventional closure. Alternatively, the apparatus could be secured permanently to a bottle during manufacture. The apparatus may be disposed in use externally of the bottle or it may be located within the bottle neck. The latter arrangement is advantageous in that ■ the apparatus need not add substantially to the space occupied by the bottle on, for example, a supermarket shelf, in that the apparatus is protected from damage, and in that a cap of generally conventional form may be used as closure means. Preferably, the apparatus further comprises one or more flow restricting means to control and/or limit the flow of beverage through the apparatus. The flow restricting means may conveniently be formed by ducts or orifices of restricted cross-section through which the beverage is caused to flow. The non-return valve may take any suitable form. In a preferred embodiment, it comprises a body which is resiliently biased towards a seating against which it forms a seal, flow of beverage under pressure from the container causing the body to be lifted from the seat and so causing a flow path to be opened. The flow-controlling means preferably provides at least one expansion chamber, of relatively large cross-sectional area to allow beverage to flow freely therethrough, there being an orifice or other restricted beverage-carrying passage leading to the chamber and being of lesser cross-sectional area than the chamber. The effect of this, which is of particular benefit when dispensing beverages in which gas is dissolved, is that there is a reduced speed of flow within the chamber, which encourages a favourable disposition of gas within the beverage. Most preferably, flow of beverage from the non-return valve enters directly the chamber or one of the chambers. This has the advantage of maintaining a body of beverage immediately adjacent to the non-return valve which, it has been found, reduces any risk of air •leaking through the non-return valve into the bottle. The non-return valve may conveniently comprise a valve body, a complementary-shaped valve seat, and resilient biasing means to urge the valve body into contact with the seating. The seating may be integral with a housing in which the valve body, the spring, and other components of the apparatus are contained. From a second aspect, the invention provides a flow-controlling device for a collapsible beverage container as set out in the last preceding paragraph but eight, the device being arranged for securement to provide a dispensing outlet from the container and forming, in the direction of flow, a first restricted flow passage and an expansion chamber through which beverage being dispensed can flow relatively freely, the device providing a non-return valve which permits beverage to be dispensed effectively through the outlet only under pressure from the interior of the container. One particular application of the invention is in storing and dispensing beer, where it is found to enable longer storage times after first opening the container and produce a consistent and high quality head on the dispensed beer. Embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figures 1 and 2 are sectional views of dispensing apparatus being, respectively, first and second embodiments of the invention. With reference to Figure 1, a flow-controlling device of dispensing apparatus (being a first embodiment of the invention) comprises a cup-shaped, cylindrical body 10 having an open mouth, a cylindrical side wall 12, and a base 14. A portion of the wall 12 close to the mouth is internally screw threaded and there is a central circular through hole through the base 14. The open mouth of the body 10 is closed by a cap 16 which carries an integral valve assembly 18 the valve assembly 18 constituting a closure means for the device. The cap 16 comprises a generally flat disc and has a circular flange 20 extending normally from one of its faces close to the periphery thereof. At least a portion of the flange 20 is externally screw threaded for co-action with the threaded portion of the wall 12 of the body 10 to retain the cap 16 in position. A sealing ring 22 is positioned between that portion of the cap 16 which extends radially outwardly of the flange 20 and the proximal end face of the wall 12 of the body 10 to provide a fluid-tight seal between the cap 16 and the body 10. A fluid passage 24 extends through the cap 16 so as to interconnect the space within the body 10 and the valve assembly 18. There is also provided centrally of the cap 16 a spigot 26 which extends therefrom axially into the space within the body 10. In this embodiment, the spigot is constituted by the shaft of a short rivet which extends through an aperture in the cap 16, the head of the rivet being sealingly fixed to the outer surface thereof. The valve assembly 18, which is of known type, comprises a tubular outer sleeve 28 of circular cross section into which the fluid passage 24 enters radially. A valve body 30 is disposed within the outer sleeve 28 and is a very close fit therein such that mutual rotation therebetween may take place but a substantially fluid-tight seal therebetween is formed. At a first end of the outer sleeve 28 the valve body 30 has a head 31 which projects axially beyond the outer sleeve 28 and to which a handle (not shown) for manual rotation of the valve body 30 is attached. The valve body 30 extends throughout the length of the outer sleeve 28 and has an end face close to a second end of the outer sleeve 28. A circular bore 33 extends from an open end at the end face of the valve body 30 towards the head 31 thereof, there being an aperture extending from the bore radially outwardly of the valve body 30 at a longitudinal position corresponding to the position of the fluid passage 24. By rotation of the valve body 30, the aperture may be brought into alignment with the fluid passage 24 so allowing fluid to flow from the fluid passage 24 into the bore 33 of the valve body 30. Similarly, rotation of the valve body such that the aperture is remote from the fluid passage 24 isolates the bore 33 of the valve body 30 from the fluid passage 24. Within the bore, close to the open end, there is provided a sleeve 32 of internal diameter less than that of the bore. The sleeve 32 functions as a flow restricting means to control the flow of beverage outwardly from the bore. A circular aperture extends centrally through the base 14 of the body 10. A mushroom-shaped first nozzle 34 has an enlarged head and a stem which extends down through the aperture. A portion of the stem below the body 10 is cylindrical and externally threaded. The first nozzle 34 is of circular cross section and is substantially co-axial with the body 10, and has an axial bore 36 extending through it. The head of the nozzle extends to a diameter greater than that of the aperture in the base 14, the head being partially located within the space within the body 10. A sealing ring 38 is located at the periphery of the aperture to provide a fluid-tight seal between an underside of the nozzle head and the base 14 of the body 10. A cap 40 is located adjacent to the outer surface of the base 14 of the body 10. The cap 40 comprises a substantially flat, disc-shaped top 42 which has a skirt 44 depending therefrom. The skirt 44 has a radially inwardly facing wall on which are formed inwardly-directed screw thread formations 46. The screw thread formations 46 are shaped and dimensioned to co-operate with screw thread formations provided on the neck of a bottle B. The top 42 of the cap 40 makes a sealing contact with the outer surface of the base 14 of the body 10 and has a circular, central aperture therethrough through which the first nozzle 34 extends. A second nozzle 48 is disposed co-axially of the first nozzle 34. The second nozzle 48 has an axial bore 49 extending throughout its length, a portion of which is cylindrical and internally threaded and is shaped and dimensioned to co-operate with the externally threaded portion of the stem of the first nozzle 34. A radial flange 50 projects from an end portion of the second nozzle 48 proximal to the top 42 of the cap 40 and is of external diameter larger than the diameter of the aperture in the top 42. A sealing ring 52 is located between the flange 50 and the top 42 to provide a fluid-tight seal therebetween. The first and second nozzles 34,48 are assembled together such that the sealing ring 52 is compressed by the flange 50 which, in turn, causes the head of the first nozzle 34 to compress the sealing ring 38 and retains the cap 40 and the body 10 in mutual engagement. From the flange 50, the second nozzle 48 extends from the skirt 44 to project into the bottle B. The respective bores 36,49 of the first and second nozzles 34,48 together form a fluid passage which extends from within the bottle B to within the space within the body 10. An end portion 54 of the bore 49 of the second nozzle 48 remote from the body 10 is of lesser diameter than any other part of the fluid passage and constitutes a first restriction in the fluid passage. Towards the body 10 from the inlet 54, the bore tapers outwardly to a cylindrical section of larger diameter 56 which constitutes a first expansion chamber of the device. Adjacent to the first chamber 56, the bore 49 has a cylindrical section, a portion of which is internally screw-threaded as described above. The bore 36 of the first nozzle 34 has a cylindrical lower end portion 58 which is of lesser diameter than the chamber 56 and constitutes a second restriction in the fluid passage. From an upper end of the cylindrical section 58 towards the head of the first nozzle 34, the bore 36 has a portion which tapers outwardly and constitutes a seating 60 for a non-return valve body 62, to be described below. The bore 36 of the first nozzle 34 opens into the space within the body 10, that space constituting a second expansion chamber of the device. A non-return valve comprises the valve body 62 located within the bore 36 of the first nozzle 34. The valve body 62 is mushroom-shaped, having a downwardly-facing generally hemispherical head 64, from which a cylindrical stem 66 projects upwards. The stem is disposed co-axially of the body 10, directed towards the cap 16 thereof. A helical spring 68 is disposed co-axially of the body 10, end portions of the spring 68 encircling the stem 66 and the spigot 26 for retention of the spring. The spring acts to bias the body 62 downwards, away from the cap 16, and so urges a curved lower surface of the head 64 into contact with the valve seating 60 so as to act as a one-way valve which allows flow of fluid from the bore 36 into the space within the chamber 10 but prevents flow in the opposite direction. Use of the device with a flexible PET bottle containing beer will now be described. The cap of the beer bottle B (which, it is assumed, is purchased with a conventional closure cap) is removed from the bottle and immediately the flow-controlling device is attached to the bottle by screwing its cap 40 onto the neck thereof. To dispense beer from the bottle, the bottle is inverted and the valve assembly 18 held above a receptacle into which the beer is to be dispensed. The valve body 30 is then rotated to open the valve assembly 18 and the bottle is squeezed to force the beer through the apparatus. Once the required beer has been dispensed, the valve assembly 18 is closed and the bottle returned to its upright position. Beer retained within the space within the body 10 can further inhibit the entry of air into the bottle. In the case of a new, relatively full bottle, the pressure of gas 'in the bottle coming out of solution might in some circumstances be enough to cause the beer to flow initially. However, the flow will be only slight and proper dispensing will only be effected by squeezing the soft-walled bottle to increase the pressure within. With reference to Figure 2, a device 100 for dispensing a beverage, being a second embodiment of the invention, is adapted for securement within the neck of a PET bottle. The device 100 comprises a tubular housing 102, a cap 104, a helical compression spring 106, and a valve body 108. The housing 102 has a wall of circular internal and external cross-section and is thus rotationally symmetrical about a centre axis. Externally, a first external end portion 110 of the housing (at an upper end of the device) is cylindrical. The external diameter of the first external portion 110 is selected to be a close fit within the neck of a PET bottle into which the device 100 is to be fitted. A second, intermediate, external portion 112 of the housing 102 adjoins and tapers gently at 5° away from the first portion 110, serving to guide the device into position on its insertion into a bottle neck. A third, lower, external end portion 114 adjoins the second external portion 112 and extends to a lower end 116 of the device tapering more steeply (at 30°) than the second portion 112. Internally, a chamfer 120 leads downwards into a short cylindrical portion 122 bounded by a groove 124 of arcuate cross-section. A further cylindrical • portion 126 extends downwards from the groove 124 to a boundary positioned radially inward of the boundary between the first and second external portions 110,112. A first internal tapering portion 128 is substantially co-extensive with the second external portion 112. The taper internally is less than -the taper externally, resulting in the thickness of wall of the housing 102 decreasing along the length of the housing between the first and third external portions 110,114. A second internal tapering portion 130 is substantially co-extensive with the third external portion 114 and tapers in parallel therewith to a restricted flow entry orifice at the lower end 116 of the device. The cap 104 comprises a unitary plastics moulding, rotationally symmetrical about a centre axis. The cap 104 comprises a cylindrical, axially extending, tubular part 140, the space within which constitutes an upper fluid passage 142. A flange 144 projects radially from the tubular part 140 at a distance approximately one quarter of the length of the tubular part 140 from one end thereof. An axial, generally annular skirt 146 extends from the flange 144 close to the periphery thereof towards the longitudinal mid-point of the tubular part 140. The skirt 146 has a radially outwardly directed surface, a portion 148 of which remote from the flange 144 is chamfered. Radially outwardly from the flange 144 there projects from the cap a rib 150 of arcuate cross-section and of •radius similar to that of the groove 124 of the housing 102. The valve body 108 comprises a downwardly-facing hemispherical head 160 integrally formed as a hollow plastics moulding with a shaft 162 projecting centrally from the planar surface thereof. An end portion 164 of the shaft 162 is externally chamfered. The head 160 is dimensioned to be of slightly larger diameter than the diameter of the entry orifice at the lower end 116 of the device. [The valve body could, alternatively, be a simple sphere.] The helical spring 106 is fitted over the tubular part 140 of the cap (beneath the flange 144) at one end, and over the 'shaft 162 of the valve body 108 at its other end, so to bias the valve body downwardly against a seating provided by the tapering housing adjacent to the lower end 116. The dispensing device 100 in its assembled condition is as described below. The valve body 108 is located in the housing 102 such that the head 160 of the valve body 108 makes contact with the second internal tapering portion 130 of the body 102, and such that the shaft 162 of the valve body 108 is substantially co-axial with the housing 102. The cap 104 is located in the housing 102 with its rib 150 engaged in the groove 124 (so retaining the cap in position as a snap-fit) and its skirt 146 directed downwards. Opposite end coils of the spring 106 abut, respectively, the head 160 of the valve body 108 and the flange 144 of the cap 104. The spring 106 is effective to urge the valve body 108 to form a non-return valve. A sufficient increase of pressure of fluid at the lower end 116 of the housing will cause the valve body to be lifted from its seating, so allowing fluid to flow through the housing 102. Fluid flow in the opposite direction is, however, prevented. Assembly of the device 100 is facilitated by provision of the chamfers 120, 148, 164. For use, the device 100 is secured within the neck of a bottle B filled with a beverage. Securement may be effected by formation of an adhesive bond between the first external portion 110 of the housing and an internal surface of the neck, or by a frictional engagement therebetween. A conventional screw cap may be applied to the neck of the bottle. Beverage is dispensed from the bottle, after removing any screw cap, by inverting the bottle to a pouring position. The bottle is then squeezed to increase pressure therein, this having the eventual result of forcing the valve body 108 from its seat, so allowing beverage to flow into the housing 102. The beverage flows between the valve body 108 and the second internal tapering portion 130 of the housing 102 in what is, effectively, an annular passage of increasing cross-section. From this passage, the beverage passes into an expansion chamber 170 bounded circumferentially by the first internal tapering portion 128 of the housing 102 and by the cap 104. Beverage leaves the expansion chamber 170 through the restricted exit formed by the tubular part 142 of the cap 104. The arrangement of the restricted entry orifice, the expansion chamber, and the restricted exit from the device is such as to reduce the pressure of the beverage and control its rate of flow as it passes therethrough, such that when the beverage emerges it is in a suitable condition to be received into a receptacle such as a drinking glass. Once dispensing has been completed, the bottle is returned to its upright position. A small volume of beverage becomes ' retained within the chamber 170 to enhance the sealing effect of the non-return valve. The closure cap is then re-applied to the bottle. In each of the two embodiments described, the soft-walled PET bottle fitted with the flow-controlling device forms a collapsible air-tight beverage container for storing and dispensing beer. The spring-backed displaceable body 62,108 is operative as a non-return valve at a dispensing outlet of the container, formed respectively by the seating 60 of the first device and the seating provided by the internal tapering portion 130 of the second device adjacent to the entry orifice. In each case the spring strength is such that the valve permits beverage to be effectively dispensed only by squeezing the bottle to increase the pressure within the bottle, ingress of air into the bottle being prevented by the valve under both dispensing and non-dispensing conditions. Also, the valve seatings of the two devices can be seen to form first restricted flow passages which lead directly into expansion chambers formed respectively by the space within the body 10 and by the chamber 170. Second restricted flow passages are formed by the combination of exit passages 24,33 and 32 of the first device, and by the tubular part 142 of the second device. In each case, the expansion chamber forms a passageway through which the beverage can flow freely as compared with flow through the restricted flow passages. In dispensing bottled beer, the combined effect of the first restricted flow passages which form narrow orifices, the spring-loaded valve bodies, and the expansion chambers, results in each case in beer being dispensed with a good head and de-carbonated to a satisfying degree.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A collapsible beverage container in which flow-controlling means comprising a non-return valve (60,62,68;130,108,106) operative at a dispensing outlet from the container is arranged to permit beverage to be dispensed effectively only by squeezing the container (B) to increase the pressure within the container. 2. A container according to claim 1 in which the flow-controlling means forms, in the direction of flow, a first restricted flow passage (58;130) and an expansion chamber (10;170) through which beverage being dispensed can flow relatively freely. 3. A container according to claim 2 in which the flow-controlling means forms also a second restricted flow passage (24;142) through which the beverage passes from the expansion chamber. 4. A container according to either of claims 2 and ' 3 in which the non-return valve is operative at the first restricted flow passage. 5. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the non-return valve comprises a body (64;160) which is resiliently biased towards a seating (60;130) against which it forms a seal, the body becoming displaced from the seating to permit beverage to be dispensed only upon a sufficient pressure being developed in the container by squeezing the container; 6. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the valve is arranged to prevent ingress of air through the outlet under both dispensing and non-dispensing conditions. 7. A container according to any one of the preceding claims in which the flow-controlling means is provided by a device which is secured by engagement within a neck of the container. 8. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 6 in which the flow-controlling means is provided by a device which is secured by engagement with an externally threaded neck of the container. 9. A container according to any one of the preceding claims which is in the form of a soft-walled bottle (B) . 10. A container according to any one of the preceding claims which contains a carbonated beverage. 11. A flow-controlling device for a collapsible beverage container according to any one of claims 1 to 10, the device being arranged for securement to provide a dispensing outlet from the container and forming, in the direction of flow, a first restricted flow passage (58;130) and an expansion chamber (10;170) through which beverage being dispensed can flow relatively freely, the device providing a non-return valve (60,62,68;130,108,106) which permits beverage to be dispensed effectively through the outlet only under pressure from the interior of the container (B) . 12. A device according to claim 11 which forms also a second restricted flow passage (24;142) through which the beverage passes from the expansion chamber. 13. A device according to either of claims 11 and 12 in which the non-return valve is operative at the first restricted flow passage. 14. A device according to any one of claims 11, 12 and 13 in which the non-return valve comprises a body (64;160) which is resiliently biased towards a seating (60;130) against which it forms a seal. 15. A device according to any one of claims 11 to 14 which is arranged to be secured by engagement within a neck of the container. 16. A device according to any one of claims 11 to 14 in which the device is arranged to be secured by engagement with an externally-threaded neck of the container.

Inventors: VIAN REGINALD DONALD GEORGE, VIAN, REGINALD, DONALD, GEORGE
Applicants: VIAN REGINALD DONALD GEORGE, WTB COMPANY LIMITED, THE WTB COMPANY LIMITED, VIAN, REGINALD, DONALD, GEORGE
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B65D47
IPC codes: B65D47, B67D1